Horsetail grows in large stands along the banks of streams, rivers, and wetlands.
Equisetum arvense, E. hyemale, and other species
mare’s tail, snakegrass
EDIBLE stems
Horsetail is an ancient, mineral-rich plant. You can prepare it as a nutritious broth that is neutral in flavor, so it can be incorporated into a variety of dishes.
Horsetail is a perennial plant with tall and erect stems that grow as tall as 3 to 4 feet. The stems are unique: jointed, dry to the touch, coarse, and hollow. The stems are either fertile or sterile. Fertile stems appear in spring, are low growing, and range in color from brown to white. The sterile stems are green, grow taller, and produce whorls of fine, feathery branches. Both types of stem end in a dark head (or strobil) at the top.
Horsetail grows in large stands along the banks of streams, rivers, and wetlands.
Horsetail grows along the banks of streams and rivers, in wetlands, and in dunes. The above-ground parts can be gathered anytime as needed, though traditionally the green sterile stems are gathered in the spring before the feathery branches unfurl in later summer.
Clip the upper parts of the stems with substantial kitchen shears or pruners, then cut the stems down to smaller sizes and dry them completely for storage in an airtight container. As with nearly all foraged plants, foraged horsetail is leaps and bounds better in quality than the dried horsetail available commercially.
Horsetail is high in minerals, specifically silica, which is foundational in maintaining healthy skin, hair, and nails. The flavor is neutral enough that it works in many combinations of other herbs. Horsetail can also be added directly to a simmering pot of bone broth and then strained off with the other ingredients before use.
Boiling fresh or dried horsetail to create a broth will extract the silica as well as the other minerals in the plant. This can be enjoyed as is or used in cooking to add minerals to other foods, especially starches and grains. Horsetail can be combined with other mineral-dense herbs like nettle, red clover, oat straw, and bull sea kelp. For those who have issues with bone density, arthritis, or connective tissue injuries, or for those who simply wish to rely less on synthetic sources of mineral supplements, horsetail is a plant to integrate into the kitchen.
Clip the above-ground parts of the plant and leave its root system to ensure the plant’s sustainability. Horsetail grows abundantly in wetland and dune areas, but habitat loss impacts its distribution.
Gather the plants in locales that are free from heavy metal pollution, as lead and other harmful minerals can be taken up into the stems of horsetail.
